On Saturday our postie, Steve, shoved a note through the door saying there was something he couldn't deliver 'cos of insufficient postage. We were out and I couldn't make the collection until this morning.
So, I went round today, clutching my £1.09p. I'm expecting a book from Amazon so I thought it might be that.....cheeky pfd, though...not to stump up the full delivery !
Disappointment entered my life when the counter clerk handed me a letter....an obvious Chrimble card with a first class stamp already on it. It felt a bit thick so I thought it might be a size problem. Opening it at home revealed a normal card but with a small silk bow on the front with a ' pearl ' button in the middle.
I can't think it would have cost an more for the PO to process. I guess they're making some chunky money out of this system.
I wonder if my friend had sent similar cards to everyone, just stamping them and shoving them in a local pillar box.....I won't mention it to him, but I suppose someone might.
Ted
Last edited by: VxFan on Mon 17 Dec 12 at 13:12
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My DiL received the card telling her to pick up item - cost was to be £1.20
It was a larger envelope, a Large Stamp.........so she as ked why.
Counter clerk shrugged.... his boss came across - measured, weighed and it passed the thickness test..........after discussing he still could not explain and then said No Charge.
It's a con...just like 1st class/2ndclass.............there should be 1 x class guaranteeing delivery in 2 days........PO would save sorting into 2 x piles and customer would get a better service!
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I wonder if these "slightly thicker" cards get rejected by the sorting machinery and an automatic surcharge put on them. We had one a few days ago.
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>> I wonder if these "slightly thicker" cards get rejected by the sorting machinery and an
>> automatic surcharge put on them. We had one a few days ago.
That's almost certainly what happens. The postal rules changed in 2006so that instead of charging solely on weight size was factored in too. Anything that won't pass through a 5mm slot or is greater than 240*165 mm in size is a 'large letter'.
Post Offices have a measuring device that allows you to check before buying a stamp but no use if you just slip the thing in post.
Need to be carefull at work as even a simple letter with a two page attachment three folded into the traditional envelope can be over 5mm. Might get by in a 240*165 wallet though.
The clerk operating the franking machine has spend time checking stuff instead of just whizzing it through.
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PFD!
Got another one with todays mail. £1.50 + a couple of miles of diesel + hassle of the sorting office. :-(
Last edited by: Old Navy on Mon 17 Dec 12 at 13:56
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Yes, it's infuriating to have to go to the sorting office to follow up these things. A couple of years ago, after paying the postage due on an unfranked envelope, my wife discovered that it was only unstamped junk mail from the Leeds & Holbeck. Shortly after receiving a pathetic apology, all savings were moved to higher ground.
A friend posted me a small commemorative brooch when the local footy club made it to Wembley for the FA Vase final. In this case, the brooch settled into a corner of the envelope making it a mm too thick, incurring a penalty charge. In my books, the Mail's reaction amounts to poor customer service - which have been met on my part this year by e-mailing our Christmas greetings and passing the savings to the local hospice.
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Local scouts used to do a delivery service, considerably undercutting PO. This year they're not.
Many previous recipients won't be getting crimble cards.
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I won't pay till they have shown me the item. If I'm not interested once I've seen the outside then I just hand it back without paying.
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>> £1.09p.
We were asked to trek to our local sorting office to fork out a similar amount just before last Christmas, and the one before, but we didn't bother. Haven't the faintest idea who sent them, but they definitely weren't from our nearest and dearest.
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We never bother collecting them any more.
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Costly Christmas card - Falkirk Bairn
